


Quieting an itch

by Vrika



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Animal Abuse Prevention, BAMF Darcy, BAMF Natasha Romanov, Cats, Dog Fighting, Dogs, Gen, Just Add Kittens, Really I just wanted Bucky covered in puppies, Really I just wanted Natasha covered in kittens, Rescue, Stress Relief, The Winter Soldier can do Good Things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-03
Updated: 2017-04-03
Packaged: 2018-10-14 08:19:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10532550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vrika/pseuds/Vrika
Summary: Darcy has an algorithm project to help find dog fighting rings. Bucky helps make sure the dogs make it out safe. I had this idea of Natasha covered in kittens and Bucky covered in puppies.(unBeta'd, 'cause I'm not sure how to do that)CW: they go after a dog fighting ring. There are hurt dogs, nothing too graphic.





	

Some days, the itch to use the Asset’s training starts to become too strong. Now that he’s his own person again, he can go on missions with Steve, back to watching his six. He doesnt like it, prefers to stay home, training the new recruits, but he trusts Steve as his handler.

But those missions aren’t often enough, and the itch comes and grows under his skin, behind his eyes, at the roots of his teeth until its almost too much to bear without tearing, clawing, biting either at himself or someone, something else. He ends up cleaning or working out when this happens - but its gradual, so he doesn’t always notice how MUCH he does these things.

Bruce noticed the pattern first, starting when Bucky would show up, obviously without having yet slept, to Bruce’s pre-dawn yoga. At first, Bucky would be able to sleep after 90 minutes of yoga and meditation with Bruce. But as the days went by, the pre-dawn yoga was followed by hours in the gym training with Steve, the other Avengers, even the Stark Industries security (most of them former Sheild) before any sleep could come.

One evening after a long day of workouts, Bruce found Bucky restlessly cleaning the common room before dinner.

“James, have you considered taking on a project by yourself?” Bruce asked, making a cup of tea for himself and offering some to Bucky as well.

Bucky took the mug, cradled between his prosthetic and flesh hand, and looked at Bruce through bangs falling into his face — “I go on missions,” he said, quietly. Bruce replied, “No, not with the team, not when there’s an Assemble, but on your own, on a project you care about?”

Bucky tilted his head, thinking about it, “Like you do sometimes, where you go off with Doctors without Borders, or work someplace for clean water, like that?”

Bruce nodded, smiling “Yes, just like that! I don’t do them just because it gets me out of Manhattan during my least favorite times of year to be here,” he smiled.

“I HAD noticed it was during August and January, that’s when the City is too muggy, and too slushy, right?” laughed Bucky. He looked at Bruce. “Do you mind if I ask you about it?”

And they talked, about how Bruce would go at least twice a year, and how it was to be outside of what they did - both as Avengers, and for him, as a scientist and researcher.

“Its not penance, nor does it make up for the things we’ve done,” Bruce said. He didn’t hold with Natasha’s idea that she was wiping the red from her ledger. They couldn’t. But they could be aware, and work on doing good, doing better. After the tea was done, and they were both a little cold from sitting for so long, Bucky got up, stretching and said, “Bruce, seriously, thank you. I’ve got a lot to think about,”

#

A few days later, after Bucky had finished yoga with Bruce, Natasha and a few others, she walked over and said, “James, you should take a shower and come with me, I need some help this morning,”

“What do you need me for?” Bucky asked curiously, but Natasha just smiled, and said, “Trust me, it will be fuuuuun!”

“Unlike Budapest,” muttered Clint, walking past them both.

“Nah, more like riding a Chituari sled,” she laughed.

Bucky rolled his eyes and headed to the shower.

Turns out SI sponsored an animal shelter in Brooklyn. Bucky suspected Steve and Pepper were involved with this and said as much. Natasha laughed, holding his hand and swinging it between them as they walked up to the side door. “I really want a dog, but we have such odd schedules, I can’t really do that to a pup,” she said, “and I don’t want someone else always taking care of them, so Pepper suggested I help out here, and I can have lots of pets until they find their forever homes!”

No one in the back of the shelter seemed to notice who Bucky and Natasha were at all - either they were used to random Avengers coming by, or they were like most New Yorkers, and didn’t actually care. Cleaning wasn’t a lot of fun, but just like he got when he was cleaning the common areas in Stark Towers, there was definitely something calming about the mindless work of picking up after the dogs, cleaning out cat boxes, the kennels, the bedding, and all the animal’s toys. After Bucky had tossed another load of laundry into the dryer, cleaned the last of the Kongs and tug toys, and put them away in the clearly marked bins, he went looking for Natasha.

One of the staff led him to the ‘Cat Room’, which was really just a big jungle gym for all the kittens. It had glass walls on one side so people could see the kittens playing before meeting them. Natasha was sitting on the floor in one corner, covered in kittens, giggling at their sharp tiny claws poking into her clothing. Bucky just stared at her. “What?” she grinned, “Cats need to be socialized with people before they are 14 weeks old, otherwise they end up being skittish and afraid,”

“This is your excuse?” he snorted, “Why the infamous Black Widow is covered in small, mewling, demandingly affectionate kittens?” He took a number of pictures for the rest of the team because, seriously, she was literally covered in kittens. “They are adorable little murderers, just like you,” he muttered, settling down to allow the little cats to climb on him as well.

“Say instead, that they allow themselves to be worshipped and taken care of, yet do not lose their ability to survive,” she smiled back, “Just like me.”

#

Cats are great, Bucky thought, but walking dogs was the best - Bucky was strong enough that even the biggest dogs couldn’t pull, and after a few lessons in positive reinforcement with the trainers at the shelter, he started walking the more boisterous, intractable dogs.

Coming back, not even winded after running with two athletic, active young German Shepherds he told the head trainer, “Aww, they really do just need exercise and direction,” He could run almost as fast as they could and for longer, so he got out their energy and helped them focus on the basic commands every dog was going to need to be a good family member. He found concentrating on the dogs, on figuring out their triggers or distractions was a good use of his other skills, but at the end of the day, he had a tired, happy, well adjusted dog and a tired, happy, better adjusted Bucky Barnes. Bruce was right. Doing something outside of his work, his recovery, was really helpful. Plus the animals got lots of exercise.

After running with a couple of the dogs during one of his visits, Bucky came back to see Natasha sitting on a low chair next to a kennel marked with yellow. This was to let people working the shelter to know that the dog wasn’t to be taken out by volunteers, and to avoid staring or standing too near the front of the kennel because it would trigger the dog’s fear. She was reading a book out loud in a low, gentle, calm voice. Whenever the pup looked at her, or came a little closer to the front of the kennel, she delicately flicked a morsel of food right by its nose, making it easy for it to catch and eat it. She was slowly training it that only good things came from people, and that no one would force the dog to do anything it didn’t want to do.

He sat next to her, out of sight of the dog, and said, “Funny how the training used on us to become assassins comes in handy, doesn’t it?” She nodded, continuing to read from Jane Austen. Not changing her voice or tone, she said, “The methods work, but I really like using them here, without pain or punishment, to help these dogs know they can be safe.” Bucky smiled and listened to her read some more, feeling quiet, and content.

#

Walking past Darcy Lewis in the hallway on his way to see Tony about his arm, he was surprised to hear her say, “Hey Bucky, before I forget, can we chat this afternoon? I wanted see if you can help me with a project I’m working on.”

Bucky responded, “Sure, Darcy-doll, I’ll be free after seeing Stark, want to meet for coffee?”

“Mmmm, Coffeeeeeee,” she said, happily. “Sure, come grab me after you are done with Tony,”

Turns out Darcy had some articles about the VickTory dogs, saved from a large, infamous dog fighting ring, as well as a series of articles about family pets being stolen to train fighting dogs. She’d been developing algorithms to follow publicly available information about lost pets, drug and gun cases, crossed with known dog fighters and open cases to track down other gangs who involved in dog fighting, gambling, drugs, and guns, but as a civilian, armed only with a taser, she wasn’t going to go into those places to find out if her algorithm was accurate.

“We can literally kill a couple of evils with one stroke,” she said.

“You mean, kill a couple of evils with one former Winter Soldier,” he responded. She groaned, but agreed.

She stopped her excited waving about on her algorithm, and asked him quietly, “Is it ok, Bucky? Its sort of obvious why I thought of you to help - those dogs don’t have a choice. They’ll do anything for their people, and most of the time, they aren’t vicious at all. But maybe its not cool to ask you?” She chewed on her lower lip, nervous that the similarities would make it hard on him.

Bucky had been talking with his therapist about this, even before Darcy came to him. He remembered the dog that Natasha had been sitting with, terrified of people. Like him, that pup was going to need help for a long time, after being rescued from a dog fighting ring in the city. Police departments and local Animal Care were often overwhelmed, underfunded and didn’t have the people to follow up. Was there something he could do?

“Hey, Darcy,” he said, patting her hand gently, “I’m really glad you thought of me, and that you COULD ask me. That kinda trust means a lot.”

She smiled sadly up at him, “Its all connected, Bucky, but it makes me ache inside that so many animals are hurt like that.”

He nodded, “Me too, doll, me too.” as he told her about the dog Natasha was reading to at the shelter.

Later, thinking about doing something to help prevent those dogs from ending up in the rescues like that in the first place felt good. He felt the itch receding, the tension in his neck and shoulders start to drop as Darcy's algorithms started leading him places locally that he could check out for her.

#

Bucky didn’t bother sneaking in. He’d already gotten all the names, images of the people involved in this ring. This was clearing out the trash before local rescues could come in for the animals, but he wanted to clear the way - Darcy’s algorithm suggested a lot of dangerous narcotics and guns involved here as well.

He drove his Sportster up, parked it, and stalked his way to the door of the warehouse.

Grateful that his new mask helped filter out most of the smell, but even with it, he could smell the feces and urine, but also the almost too rich, heavy copper bitter scent of fear, blood and death. Shaking his head, because he was so familiar with that charnel house smell; how it meant choice had been taken. To one side, he could see a large window that overlooked the room with the pit where the dogs went into fight, currently surrounded by people. To another side, the too small kennels that lined the walls for the dogs when they weren’t. There were heavy cement blocks attached to chains that were used for the dogs to pull, as well as treadmills used to train the dogs for speed and stamina.

He was here to find the guns and people, so he stalked thru the area, noting that not all the kennels had dogs, and feeling grateful for that. Kicking open the door between the room and the fighting pit, the roaring of the crowd silenced as he came in. He knew he looked terrifying, and he was _fine_ with that.

“Please put down any weapons and leave the building immediately,” he says, “Or don’t. I am pretty sure I can kill all of you and no one would really care,”

#

Bucky came out, holding a number of young dogs in a blanket in his arms. He finds a volunteer, and hands her the pups. “The mama shoved them all out at me,” he said, his face sad, “I’m not sure she is going to make it,” The veterinarian glances up at him, and says, “Let’s go and check, the fighting dogs are sedated and being looked over, I didn’t know they were breeding here too,”

Bucky handed the veterinarian a mask - he’d raided Stark’s lockers when he came out here with the volunteers after securing the location - the masks really helped with the vileness of the smell - with the doors closed, it was hard to breathe in there.

“How can I help?” he says quietly to the vet, who’s on her knees in front of a small kennel. He could see the mama dog was as far back as she could get, but wasn’t sure if it was because she was hurt, or afraid.

“I wish I could peel the top of this stupid kennel open, it would be easier to see the dog, and maybe get behind her to coax her out,”

“No problem, Doc,” he said, as he used his metal arm literally as a can opener. Moving quietly, and slowly, as not to alarm the hurt dog, he cut the top of the kennel off - Stark had installed a cutting laser in one of his fingers, and it worked really well with the material of the kennel.

“Aww, hey, mama dog,” crooned the vet, “wanna come out and let me see you, brave girl?”

Maybe it was the heat, and humidity that fogged up his goggles, but it was tough for him to see the dog clearly, as she licked the vet’s hand, her big head tilting sideways, and thumped her tail, wagging it happily making her back end move as she kept trying to crawl out for some of the baby food and chicken pieces that the vet had in her hand for the dog. "

#

Home later, after long hot shower, and some super soft sweats and socks, he went up to the common area to meet with Darcy. He curled up on the couch under one of the soft blankets, while Darcy warmed her feet under his legs and the blanket. "James, thank you." she said, her voice full of emotion. "The DEA, and police, still have a ton of stuff to get thru, but they confiscated plenty of guns and drugs. We rescued about 20 dogs, including that litter of puppies. We've got the dogs in various animal rescues and shelters around the tri-state area, including the one in Brooklyn. That mama dog and her pups went there, in case you wanted to see them,"

He nodded, "I asked the vet to take them there. Natasha and I will go " as he pulled the blanket around him. Sometimes, the drop after action would any of the Avengers cold, so there were always warm, soft blankets for everyone, and even Stark knew better than to tease anyone using one, having had them tucked around him by Pepper more than a few times.

Darcy looked up as the elevator door made its quiet noise, and her smile got big, "Hey Cap! Glad to see you home," as Steve came in, dropped onto the couch on the other side of Bucky, pulling him into a close hug. Bucky, who'd known it was him from the moment the door opened, turned enough to get his arms around and under Steve's shoulders and buried his face into Steve's chest. Steve's eyebrows went up at Darcy as he carded his fingers thru Bucky's hair.

"Bucky and I finished our first mission together on my algorithm project, Steve," she said, "He rescued about 20 dogs and a litter of puppies from a dog fighting ring, scared a lot of bad people, but no injuries, no shootings. It was still hard tho, all those dogs, some of them hurt. But it sounds like they'll all make it! We were going to visit some of them tomorrow, and see how they were doing, if you wanted to come,"

Steve just hugged Bucky even tighter, "Proud of you, Buck, that sounds like it wasn't easy."

"It wasn't," Bucky mumbled, "But I can't wait for our next takedown, Steve. But more importantly, I want to make sure these dogs all find a home and people who will take good care of them."

Steve just smiled and ran his fingers through his hair, "I'm sure we can all do that, Buck. I can't wait to meet them."

#

The next day, Natasha is the one sending pictures to the team of one James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes, former Winter Soldier and feared assassin, sitting in a small room filled with soft blankets and covered in puppies and one very happy mama dog, who couldn't stop licking his face or wagging her tail.


End file.
